UNI takes two state champs in trio of wrestling recruits

Northern Iowa is taking down lightweight talent, with three in-state prospects committing in a less than a day.

Derek Holschlag from Union of LaPorte City became UNI’s first recruit of the 2017 class Sunday.

Two more championship commitments piled on for head coach Doug Schwab on Monday morning.

Fort Dodge’s Triston Lara and New Hampton’s Keaton Geerts joined Holschlag in announcing their college selections on Twitter, picking the Panthers before their senior prep seasons begin.

Lara is the reigning Class 3A champ at 126 pounds, coming off a 45-2 junior season that ended with a third straight trip to the state tournament. He finished as runner-up at 113 in 2015 and fourth at 106 in 2014.

Lara posted his commitment less than 30 minutes after Geerts.

Geerts went 54-1 as a junior and won the 2A crown at 132. He had a similar growth pattern to Lara — finishing fifth at 120 in 2015 — and actually topped Holschlag in the semifinals last spring.

Holschlag’s older brother, Jacob, is a redshirt sophomore with the Panthers at 174 pounds.

UNI opens its 2016-17 season with a triangular against Nebraska-Kearney and Utah Valley on Nov. 11. Virginia Tech is slated to visit Cedar Falls for a dual on Nov. 18.